Darkness Becomes Her
by SiriusMarauderFan
Summary: Emotions are messy and complicated, but he's just human enough for them to change everything. / Voldemort's attempt at procuring an heir fails when he develops feelings for the child. Extreme AU.
1. Prologue

**Author's Note:** I'm not sure how many parts there will be to this, because I really don't want it to compete with alyssialui's story "Daddy's Little Girl" which is fabulous and funny and heartbreaking … and now that I mention it, there's no way this can compete with that. Still, probably not going to be a very long story.

Written for…

Daily Weird Prompt Challenge. _Prompt:_ Bellatrix/Voldemort

If You Dare Challenge. _Prompt:_ Moonstruck

**Prologue**

It was easier than he could have ever hoped, getting her to agree to every word he said. No one agreed with the cause as much as Bellatrix. She was passionate and dedicated, not to mention beautiful.

The idea came to him during a raid on a secluded home. It was a test-run of sorts; a way to weed out the weak recruits. And no matter what he said at the end of the night, she was better than all the others.

The house he chose belonged to the brother of a mudblood Ministry official he'd had run-ins with. Tom liked it for its seclusion and the message it would send once his army was full operational.

There were three children: two older girls and an infant. Tom watched his recruits carefully, monitoring their techniques as they eliminated the entire household. It was watching the male scum try in vain to protect his son that gave Tom the idea of an heir. What better way to ensure his mission would succeed than to have a second-in-command he could trust?

Once his mind was made up, everything else fell into place easily. He couldn't just choose anyone to carry his child. The woman would have to be absolute in her devotion to him and to the cause. There could be no chance of betrayal, lest she decide to use their proximity to attack or otherwise undermine him.

She would also need to be skilled and dangerous; clever and beautiful. All of these traits would be passed on to their child and become useful later on.

Bellatrix was the only logical choice.

She danced in the moonlight as the house burned, laughing maniacally. Blood dripped from a gash on her arm but she didn't seem to mind. She caught him staring; he didn't try to hide it.

He was straightforward in his advance, though he'd waited until they were alone. Her betrothed was also a supporter, and there was no need to get involved in messy marriage arrangements until he was sure she was pregnant. She accepted his invitation readily and that was the extent of their conversation.

There was no need to tell her of his true purpose for her just yet. There could be no chance of failure.


	2. Destruction

**Author's Note:** Written for…

Daily Weird Prompt Challenge. _Prompt:_ baby's first dark magic

PayDay Game Challenge. _Prompt:_ spider earrings

**Destruction**

"I don't want it!" Bellatrix shrieked, toppling a bookshelf in her anger.

Tom remained still, watching his lover through narrowed eyes. He had been expecting some sort of reaction once she realized she was carrying his child, but he hadn't anticipated this much hostility.

"How could you do this to me?"

"It's an honor," he spoke quietly, keeping his distance. He'd watched her bring enough people to their knees to be slightly nervous of the way she was glaring at him. "I wouldn't have chosen anyone for this. You are the best possible person."

"I don't want a _child_," she spat, kicking a fallen statuette. She took off the spider earrings he had retrieved from a raided house for her. They became dust under her boot. "All I've ever wanted was to serve you, My Lord, and you're taking that away from me."

"It's only for a few months, until the child is born. After that you will return to my side as my most trusted supporter." He moved toward her slowly. "Bellatrix, the last thing I want is to lose you."

He took it as a success when she didn't flinch away from his hand on her shoulder.

"I won't have to deal with … it?" she asked quietly, leaning into the touch.

Tom hesitated. Something would need to be done with it until it was old enough to be of use to him. Still, if it meant losing Bellatrix, perhaps it wasn't worth it.

"Something can be worked out. There's time to deal with all of that later. For now all that matters is that you're here, and this child-" he placed a hand to her stomach, already showing through her tight robes "-this child is going to be what wins this war for us."

It concerned him how much he'd missed her in the few days she'd refused to be near him, and he wished their kiss wasn't cut short by one of the newer recruits barging through the door.

"My Lord, I'm s-sorry to interrupt, but there's an emergency," the boy stammered, trying to avert his eyes.

Tom could hear Bellatrix growling softly beside him and he was just as eager to get rid of the idiot boy. With one hand still resting on her stomach, he reached back to pull his wand.

The explosion happened completely out of his control. He shielded Bellatrix with his body, watching with interest as the wall crumbled on top of the body of his former follower. When the immediate danger was over and the dust was settling, he turned back to his lover.

"Did you do that?" he asked, a hint of awe in his voice. She must have been even stronger than he had originally thought if she managed to collapsed a wall without a wand.

"No," she squeaked, looking at the mess over his shoulder. "I thought you did."

Tom looked down to her stomach, pressing a pale hand to it as he grinned. "This child is magnificent."


	3. Love

**Author's Note:** Written for…

Daily Weird Prompt Challenge. Prompt: Voldemort's reaction to Bella's love confession

**Love**

"I want to stay here forever," Bellatrix murmured against Tom's neck. She was curled around him in bed and he had a lazy arm draped over her. He hummed in response even though his mind had long-wandered to more important affairs.

"Don't you wish we could spend every evening here, together?" she tried again, catching his attention with a fingernail trailing over his bare chest. It gave him chills and he stilled the hand easily.

"If only things were that simple," he answered cryptically, rolling onto his side.

He felt the bed shift as Bellatrix sat up with difficulty. She'd been having trouble getting around for the last few weeks.

"I love you," she said quietly. There was a long stretch of silence afterwards and Tom thought he'd probably misheard her. "Master, please. I think … I'm in love with you."

Tom sighed, slipping out of bed and pulling on his robes. If he wasn't going to get any sleep he might as well do some work.

"Say something," Bella demanded, watching him from the bed.

"Love is irrelevant," he answered quickly, angrily. This was exactly what he didn't want from the situation. He hadn't thought to worry with Bellatrix. She was pure and, until recently, betrothed. She of all people should have understood how unimportant love was.

If he was being honest with himself – and Tom had learned long ago that it was best to be dishonest whenever possible – his aversion to her declaration had more to do with his incapability to love rather than his disbelief that such a thing existed.

Hadn't he been told years and years ago the effects of a love potion would have on a child conceived by one? He would never feel love, and Bellatrix was wasting her time if she expected it from him.

"I can't love you." He refused to look at her, to see the hurt. Emotions were messy and complicated and he wanted to remove himself from them as quickly as possible. "I'm going out."

"No, wait."

"This discussion is over, Bellatrix," he growled, glaring at her. His expression softened minutely when he saw the pained look on her face as she held her stomach. "The child?"

"It's coming," she confirmed.

:-:

Tom left Bellatrix in the care of a house-elf. It was an old elf that she'd brought from home, and the one he'd decided that would care for the child until it was old enough to learn from him.

He stayed dutifully in the corridor outside her bedroom, guarding against anyone who dared intrude, and close enough to assist should problems arise. He smiled to himself as the hours went on and his plan came closer to being fulfilled.

"My Lord?" the elf squeaked from behind the door. Tom hadn't bothered to remember her name.

"Is the child well?" he asked.

"Yes, sir." The elf emerged from the room with a bundle of cloths. Tom knelt to examine the small face peeking out from them. "She's perfectly healthy, sir. As is her mother."

The child was pushed into his arms suddenly. Tom's immediate reaction was to hand it back to the elf – he had no intention of handling the child, after all – but the infant whimpered and opened its eyes. He hesitated for a moment before tightening his grip on the baby and standing with her. Something had changed but he struggled to pinpoint what exactly.

Everything became foggy as Tom stared into his daughter's eyes. He was aware of the elf talking, of Bellatrix calling out. Someone was tapping his shoulder. In the back of his mind the incomplete plans of an assault begged for attention. With an overwhelming jolt, he realized that he didn't care about any of it.

**A/N:**

First off, I just want to thank everyone who's reviewed and favorited and followed this so far. I kinda suck at replying, but thank you SO MUCH. :D

I hope this chapter was okay. I'm not sure the ending conveyed what I wanted it to, but I'm impatient and I just want to get to the next chapter already!


	4. Distraction

**Author's Note:** Well, this chapter was unexpected. I don't even know why I did this. I shouldn't be allowed to write.

Written for…

Daily Weird Prompt Challenge. _Prompt:_ "We're not naming the baby after your mother, and that's final!"

**Distraction**

"JEMMA!"

Tom came back to his senses just as Bellatrix was shrieking for the elf. Cradling the infant, he attempted to follow the elf into the bedroom, but a hand clamped down on his shoulder.

"Leave them be, Tom," Avery advised. He was only one allowed to call him by his true name, and only in private. Many of the recruits knew Tom only as the Dark Lord, but Avery had been a roommate at school.

Tom looked to the shut door as more screams echoed out. His immediate concern was of losing Bellatrix and what that would do for the cause but the thought faded just as quickly.

"Everything alright with the baby, then?" Avery asked, reaching over to smooth down the small tuft of black hair on the infant's head. Tom thought he might've been trying to distract him.

"The elf says she's fine."

"Have you thought of a name yet?

"No." A name hadn't seemed important until now. Tom had planned on letting the elf choose what to call it – or Bellatrix if she showed interest.

Avery continued petting the baby for a moment before a smile crossed his face. "Well, if I might make a suggestion? My mother's name was Zenobia. Helen refused to let me name our children after her. Mother liked you, you know. She thought you were very charming."

"Be that as it may, I don't think I'll be naming the child after her." He was being kind. He wasn't sure why; he'd never cared about anyone's feelings before, not even Avery's.

The door opened again before Avery had a chance to push further, and Jemma rushed out with a grin on her face.

"Mistress has had another baby! Twin girls!" she squealed.

Tom stood in shock, his mind was reeling. He hadn't allowed Bellatrix to go to the hospital during the pregnancy; they'd been content with the services Jemma could provide. Evidently there were some things not even house-elf magic could determine.

Avery clapped a hand on Tom's back, grinning as big as the elf. "Great, you can name her Zenobia!"

"We're not naming the baby after your mother, and that's final!" Tom growled, following Jemma into the room.

Bellatrix was lying in bed looking close to death. She managed on to roll her head to the side to watch him enter.

"Never … again," she struggled out.

"Mistress will be fine," Jemma assured him. "She needs sleep."

The elf hurried to a bassinet in the corner and retrieve the baby laying in it. It looked identical to the one in Tom's arms, not that he was looking too hard. He was finding it hard to focus on everything but keeping upright.

"I want those … _things_ out of here," Bellatrix spat. Her hand felt around on the nightstand until she found a hairbrush. In a move that Tom would've thought impossible in her current state, she launched the brush in the elf's direction. Jemma squeaked and scurried out with the second baby.

Dazed, Tom followed.


	5. Decision

**Author's Note:** Written for…

Daily Weird Prompt Challenge. _Prompt:_ Bellatrix is a terrible mother.

**Decision**

Tom was more exhausted than he thought possible.

It had been about twelve hours since the birth of his daughters and he hadn't had a moment's peace since then. Sleep was far from his mind.

The babies had initially been left in Jemma's care in the nursery while he dealt with other matters. It took him about five minutes of stumbling over his words while bossing a recruit around before Avery pulled him away and pushed him in the nursery's direction.

It was chaos inside; Jemma was rushing back and forth between the bassinet and a large basket she'd found to hold the second baby for now. Both girls were wailing.

Tom looked lost for a moment as he watched the commotion. Then all at once he came to his senses and picked up one of the infants, waiting until both were quiet before questioning the elf.

"I'm sorry, sir! Jemma isn't used to caring for two babies."

"It's … fine," he answered quietly.

He stayed for a while, helping to care for his daughters. It surprised him, how quickly he took to cradling and rocking them. It was the most calm he'd felt in decades – quite possibly in his entire life.

Tom very nearly killed Avery when he came to fetch him.

"I'm so sorry," Avery whispered. "There's been an incident. I'd handle it but … you really need to see for yourself."

"It's alright, sir. Jemma is going to look in on Mistress," the elf told him, taking the eldest child from his arms. "The babies need feeding."

Tom nodded, begrudgingly allowing himself to be dragged away.

:-:

"I hate them, get them out of here!"

Tom returned less than an hour later with Avery right behind. He had hoped to find a quiet room where he might be able to fall asleep in the rocking chair for a few hours. Stumbling in on Bellatrix flinging books and knickknacks at the twins while Jemma worked to shield them was not something Tom could've ever anticipated.

The men sprang into action immediately; Avery rushing to help the elf while Tom dealt with Bellatrix.

He clasped her wrists tightly and she dropped the figurine she was about to throw, seemingly realizing how much trouble she was in as she stared in his eyes. He pushed her back, forcing her into a chair. In one swift move, his hands shifted. One wrapped itself around her neck while the other held a wand to her chest.

"Please, no," she gasped out.

"Tom," Avery said warningly.

"Get the children out of here," he ordered, waiting until the room was cleared before releasing Bellatrix and stepping away. He kept the wand trained on her. "Explain."

"I was trying to rest and I was dragged in here to look after those things. If this is how it's going to be, then I want them gone. They're loud and useless and –"

"My children," he interrupted, glaring. "And you tried to harm them. Do you have any idea how fortunate you are that I haven't killed you yet?"

"Yes, my lord."

His hand twitched. Every fiber of his being was screaming at him to get it over with, but he had a different idea.

"If you ever touch _my_ daughters again, I will not hesitate to kill you in the most painful way you can imagine. Do I make myself clear, Ms. Black?" he threatened coldly.

"Yes, my lord."

:-:

He found Avery and Jemma huddled in his private room. Upon close inspection, the twins appeared to be unharmed.

"Is she gone?" Avery asked quietly, knowing all too well his friend's temper.

"No. She believes I am giving her a second chance," Tom muttered, accepting one of the infants.

"What do you mean?"

Tom allowed himself a small smile. "I think it's time to change our objective."


	6. Negotiations

**Author's Note:** No, you're not seeing things. Three chapters in one day! :D

Written for…

Daily Weird Prompt Challenge. _Prompt:_ professor!Tom AU

**Negotiations**

Tom tapped his foot impatiently, unable to keep himself from glancing at the clock every few minutes as he waited for Headmaster to return from his 'urgent business.'

With every second that passed, he felt a stronger need to head back to the house to check on the girls. He chalked up the feeling to sleep deprivation; clearly his mind wasn't working properly after forty-eight hours of nonstop baby care. The knot in his stomach was senseless. He knew better than anyone that no one could get through the wards he'd put on his room to keep the children safe.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting," Dumbledore said, gliding back into the office and taking his seat behind the desk. Tom took a breath, trying to calm his churning stomach. "Now, what is it you wanted to see me about, Tom?"

"I applied for a position here many years ago … I was wondering if you might reconsider your dismissal of my application."

As usual, the Headmaster was unreadable and Tom found it unnerving. It was so easy to tell what his followers were thinking or feeling. He'd forgotten what it was like to deal with his old professor.

"I'm not sure that would be a good idea."

Tom nodded. He hadn't really expected any different.

"I understand your hesitation. Perhaps this will change your mind." He dropped a file on the desk and watched closely as Dumbledore looked through it.

"Why are you giving this to me?"

"I've decided someone ought to know what was going on, and better you than the Ministry."

"Still don't trust anyone, I see."

Tom shifted in his seat. "Not politicians, no. I get the feeling if I went to them with all of this it would get me into a lot of trouble."

Dumbledore tapped the file. "From what I've seen in here, I can't say I'd disagree."

"Yes, well. If you noticed, I was absent from all of those documents."

"I think you and I both know who was responsible for these attacks, Tom."

"I can neither confirm nor deny your suspicions. All I wish to do is end all this madness before it gets out of control. And that-" he waved a hand to the folder. "That is the evidence needed to put away all people responsible for it."

Dumbledore nodded. "And how am I to know that the attacks will end when these people are captured."

Tom reached into his cloak and pulled out a photograph, dropping it beside the file.

"My daughters," he explained as Dumbledore admired the twins. "They're two days old. I'm not sure I can quite explain what's happened to me, Professor, only that since their birth I have had very little interest in anything other than keeping them safe."

Dumbledore handed the picture back and sighed.

"You realize the difficult position this puts me in, Tom."

"I do, sir," the younger man answered, feeling more like a schoolboy by the second. It was hard to believe it have been more than twenty years since he'd attended school. "I am begging you to help me – not for my sake, but for my daughters'. I'll do anything you ask."

The Headmaster smiled for the first time since Tom entered the office.

"I think we might be able to come to some sort of agreement."


	7. Moving

**Author's Note:** Written for…

Daily Weird Prompt Challenge. Prompt: suit of armor

**Moving**

He'd forgotten how chilly the school could be at night. It had been over twenty-five years since he slept in the dungeons and therefore, he realized a little belatedly, terribly out of practice in casting warming charms.

"Not here five hours and already setting fires?" Avery joked, helping to air out the chambers while Tom put out what was left of the flames.

"I wouldn't have had to if Dumbledore hadn't given me the worst chambers," Tom growled. Avery chuckled, dropping into one of the hard chairs that were provided with the new living quarters.

"Aren't these the same rooms the Defense professor had in our day? The same rooms they _always_ give to the Defense professors?"

"Yes. And your point is?"

"That Dumbledore isn't being as cruel as you think. Honestly I think you're bloody lucky he's giving you a second chance."

Tom grimaced, turning his back on his last … _only_ supporter. It was difficult enough admitting that it was all over. Thirty years of work all down the drain in a single day. One conveniently unsigned letter to the Minister of Magic and his residence of the last four years was now under surveillance and anyone who had dared to take orders from in awaiting sentencing.

"Temperature charms are in place, sir," Jemma announced, marching into the great room from what had become the new nursery. "And the children are napping."

"Great. Your home is smoky and full of old junk, but at least you'll be cozy," Avery said.

"Don't make me hex you."

"You're slipping, you know. You used to threaten with curses; unforgivables. Those girls are softening you."

"Avery-"

"I didn't say it was a bad thing." Avery smiled, coming to stand by his friend. "Now, what do you say we make this place a bit more … livable? We could start with getting rid of that guy." He nodded to the suit of armor standing by the fireplace. "I know how they always creeped you out."

"They did not. I simply think they're a waste of space," Tom huffed. He moved closer to examine the suit, finding it dusty and covered in scratches and dents. "Help me move it outside. The caretaker can deal with it after that."

Avery obliged, holding one side of the suit and helping to glide it gently across the stone floor. In their haste, neither man thought of the rug between them and the door. The suit caught on the corner, toppling over before they could stop it and separating into over twenty pieces.

Tom dropped into a chair, holding his head in his hands while Avery laughed. "Can _nothing_ go right?"

"Shall I get rid of the mess, sir?" Jemma asked hesitantly.

"Please do."


End file.
